The ‘Worthiness Constraint’

The ‘Worthiness Constraint’

May 9, 2018 | by Clarence Wardell IIINew America

In this thoughtful article, Clarence Wardell III, PhD, explains why some community safety initiatives—even those with evidence of remarkable success—do not always get the support they deserve. Wardell, a public interest technology fellow at New America, calls it the “worthiness constraint.” He writes that “ … it’s difficult to watch promising solutions be cast aside because we aren’t comfortable with who receives the investment.” Wardell references Advance Peace, a violence-reduction program in Richmond, California, which, among other interventions, offers a stipend and travel opportunities to young men—at risk of being involved in gun violence—as they meet positive goals. Advance Peace evolved out of the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS), created in 2007 in response to Richmond’s ranking as one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Read the full article here. To read a report on NCCD’s process evaluation for the ONS, click here.